I arrived at the shopping center at about 10:30 am, and it was a heartbreaking sight - very few cars in the huge parking lot, and very few shoppers in the store. I got my watch battery replaced in about 15 minutes, during which time I walked in the nearby store area. It was mostly bedding and I wasn't interested, so I went back and sat down in the watch repair section. I don't know what I will do if Sears ever closes that store - there is no way I could replace the watch band or a battery with my sight the way it is. Also, it is so nice to be waited on by a store employee rather than have to figure it all out for myself.
The day isn't far off when all the malls will close and you will have to purchase everything from Amazon. That's fine if you live out in the country with no honest to god stores nearby, but I have always like dealing with a real person who speaks to me, to be able to touch the merchandise and look at the quality of the product, etc. How can someone really tell from a picture on the internet, unless of course you are either replacing a product you know about, or you look at it in a store and then go order it online. So you might save a few cents with the online price, but you've wasted your time and the gas in your car.
After leaving Sears I walked briefly down to Macy's but didn't linger for very long. It was already becoming very hot and I still had a stop to make at the grocery. I walked in wearing my sunglasses and of course left my Rx glasses in the car, so I didn't buy very much. Now I will stay indoors for the rest of the day and hope the report for tomorrow is accurate and will be a bit cooler.
Arianna's birthday party is tomorrow and I think I will wear one of my long dresses again. I haven't decided which one though. I am also going to take the unused half gallon of ice cream I have and give it to Donald. I am becoming addicted to it all over again, and it's too difficult for me to shake off.
I will end here before I start complaining about the heat again! Have a good weekend coming up.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
I think Amazon has surpassed Walmart in putting other companies out of business. Now it isn't just mom & pop local businesses but large stores. I fear you are right that ultimately Amazon wants to and will provide everything for everybody. What happened to the Sherman Anti-Trust Act? Now we just let big companies control everything in their areas - media outlets etc. But Amazon is beyond it all.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what it is that Americans are so busy doing that they need to shop for everything in their lives from their phones. I'm not counting all the folks who live alone and are disabled or elderly, or have no means of getting out and about. But for the majority of us, how have they convinced us that our time is so limited and important that we can't do the basic things in life except for punching buttons on our phones.
DeleteI do a lot of computer shopping cause the traffic is almost more than going shopping is worth.
DeletePlease see my caveat in my reply to the comment to Sherry. There are many folks who need to order things online - we used to get catalogs and order over the land-line phone. I have no problem with that. I know people who will drive around to several stores to look at a product and touch it, ask the salesperson all about it, and then go home and order from Amazon. I don't think that is right, but I realize not everyone agrees with me, and life would be boring if everyone always agreed with me. I just feel bad for the local stores, hiring local people who pay taxes locally.
DeleteI agree with you. I hate to see local stores close and people out of work because of it. One thing here in Denver area, Amazon is building distribution centers and will be hiring over a thousand people to staff them.
DeleteSeveral years ago I followed a blog written by a woman who worked at Amazon during the Christmas season. What she described was pure hell. They were monitored on everything down to the second - God help you if you spent an extra 30 seconds in the bathroom! The employees were controlled by everything but whips! I have never bought the "Amazon Employs Lots of People" since then. If anyone remembers the blog or the Rv'er who wrote it, please let me know as I'd like to reference it. Whether or not she exaggerated a bit makes no difference to me as I can absolutely see a company such as Amazon treating their employees like that.
DeleteIt is a "Catch 22" for us. Shopping for us is either 40 miles north or 40 miles south, so Amazon has become a link to some of the things we need. We also belong to an organic food co-op based out of Oregon. Our pickup is once a month (40 miles north)and we can handle that. Out here everyone has to stock up. I order my clothes from Sierra Trading Post and just hope they fit.
ReplyDeleteI've always hated Walmart and won't go into one. I sure do miss the days when malls were popular and closer to me. Sears was always a favorite and I'm afraid it won't be with us much longer. We don't even have a Sears store near us.
Things change . . .
P.S. Great idea to share your ice cream.
Please see my response above to Barney's comment. I understand about not being close to a variety of stores to choose from. Congratulations on your food coop membership. My d-i-l in NY belongs to a co-op farm, and I always love going with her and the kids to get her share.
DeleteI have to have my Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice-cream before bedtime every night. Keeps my muscles well toned and my waist slim. . . NOT.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, my muscles are also well tones and my waist is slim. But my ice cream adds belly fat and I hate that.
DeleteI always get my watch battery replaced by a sales person in Walmart. They have a tool to open and close the back. My husband tried to do it himself but without that particular tool that was impossible. My battery lasts for quite a few years.
ReplyDeleteI used to be able to do the same thing at K-Mart; then it seems none of the stores would let their employees do any of that sort of thing - probably a liability issue. I just got used to Sears Watch and Repair Service and don't mind paying to have it done for me.
DeleteWe have lots of the old style shopping centers opening here. They are like Malls but all out doors. They have watch shops, salon's, Dentists, eye centers and all kinds of little stores and large.
ReplyDeleteYou are really fortunate. For one thing it is always nice to chat with the people you are doing business with. I hope everyone local supports the stores in your area.
DeleteI really miss the enclosed malls, I like to park then walk from one end to the other. The outdoor places are so spread out it's impossible to know which way to go & I dislike moving my car 2 or 3 times to see the entire place. Most the time I'm just browsing, you know living in an RV doesn't give us an abundance of storage. But also I really don't need much to get along. Try to stay cool. Becki
ReplyDeleteI agree that the enclosed malls are much nicer to stroll through because the weather is always the same - comfortable. I stopped buying more than I truly need several years before I lived in an RV, and even though I have a few more sq.ft. now, I will never go back to shopping for things I don't need.
DeleteI looked on the internet and found a lot of Amazon information. Looks like their workers are treated shabbily and usually don't stay much longer than a year. Google it and you'll get an eye full. Only if I cannot find what I want locally will I ever buy from Amazon. Hardly ver did anyhow. I want to see and feel what I buy.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you can confirm what I saw several years ago. I also like to look at a product and hold it in my hand.
Delete